General audience

The Latest

Pope Francis appeared in a wheelchair at his general audience on Feb. 28, 2024.

Pope Francis: ‘Of all vices, pride is the great queen’

Mar 6, 2024

By Matthew Santucci

“Those who give in to this vice are far from God, and the correction of this evil requires time and... Read more

Pope Francis greets pilgrims at his Wednesday general audience in the Paul VI Audience Hall at the Vatican on Feb. 28, 2024.

Pope Francis, weakened by ‘a bit of a cold,’ has aide read reflection before hospital visit

Feb 28, 2024

By Matthew Santucci

The pope did not walk to his chair in the Paul VI Audience Hall on Wednesday as he normally does. Read more

Pope Francis delivers an address during his Wednesday general audience on Feb. 14, 2024, in the Paul VI Audience Hall at the Vatican.

Pope Francis: Sloth is a ‘very dangerous temptation’ akin to apathy

Feb 14, 2024

By Matthew Santucci

During his Feb. 14 Wednesday general audience, Pope Francis reflected on the human dimension of the vice of acedia, more... Read more

Pope Francis speaks during his general audience on Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024, in the Paul VI Audience Hall at the Vatican.

Pope Francis: Sorrow is an ‘ailment of the soul'

Feb 7, 2024

By Matthew Santucci

The Holy Father warned that sorrow is “a constant affliction that prevents man from feeling joy at his own existence.” Read more

Pope Francis delivers a message at his general audience on Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024.

Pope Francis: Wrath is a vice that is ‘pervasive,’ ‘dark’

Jan 31, 2024

By Matthew Santucci

Pope Francis dedicated his Jan. 31 general audience to the subject of wrath, characterizing it as a vice that is... Read more

Pope Francis greets pilgrims at his general audience on Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2024, at the Paul VI Audience Hall at the Vatican.

Pope Francis: Avarice is a ‘sickness of the heart, not of the wallet’

Jan 24, 2024

By Matthew Santucci

In his Wednesday general audience, Pope Francis said the preoccupation with the accumulation of material goods reflects a greater “pathological... Read more

Pope Francis gives a blessing at his general audience on Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2024, in the Paul VI Audience Hall at the Vatican.

Pope Francis: ‘In Christianity, there is no condemnation of the sexual instinct’

Jan 17, 2024

By Matthew Santucci

In a continuation of his catechetical series on vice and virtue, Pope Francis on Wednesday dedicated his general audience to... Read more

Pope Francis embraces Vinicio Riva after the general audience on Nov. 6, 2013.

Man with disfigured face whose embrace with Pope Francis touched the world dies

Jan 12, 2024

By Almudena Martínez-Bordiú

The pontiff embraced Vinicio Riva while greeting pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square after a general audience in 2013, the year... Read more

Pope Francis greets pilgrims at his Wednesday general audience on Jan. 10, 2024.

Pope Francis at audience: Gluttony is perhaps the most dangerous vice

Jan 10, 2024

By Matthew Santucci

In the third installment of his catechetical series on vice and virtue, Pope Francis on Wednesday focused on the sin... Read more

Pope Francis delivers a message on the topic of “vices and virtuesc” at his Wednesday general audience on Jan. 3, 2024.

Pope Francis: Never forget that Jesus is beside you in your worst moments

Jan 3, 2024

By Courtney Mares

In life’s worst moments, never forget that Jesus is beside you, Pope Francis said Wednesday. Read more

Pope Francis speaks at his general audience Dec. 20, 2023, at Paul VI Hall at the Vatican.

Pope Francis: The Nativity is an example of ‘joy’ and ‘amazement’

Dec 20, 2023

By Matthew Santucci

Pope Francis on Wednesday spoke during his general audience on the importance of approaching the coming of Christ with “joy”... Read more

Pope Francis speaks at his general audience Dec. 13, 2023, in the Paul VI Hall at the Vatican.

Pope Francis: ‘The Christian must be open to the word of God and to the service of others’

Dec 13, 2023

By Matthew Santucci

Pope Francis on Wednesday closed his catechetical series on apostolic zeal, delivered during his recent general audiences. Read more

Pope Francis speaks at his general audience on Dec. 6, 2023, in Paul VI Hall at the Vatican.

Pope Francis at general audience: ‘The Spirit is the protagonist’ of evangelization

Dec 6, 2023

By Matthew Santucci

Pope Francis’ catechetical series on the essential components of the proclamation of the Gospel culminated with a fourth and final... Read more

Pope Francis greets members of the public attending his weekly general audience in Paul VI Hall in Vatican City on Nov. 29, 2023.

Pope Francis: Technological focus on efficiency dehumanizes today’s society

Nov 29, 2023

By Matthew Santucci

The desire for efficiency “absorbs the uniqueness of each into a bubble of uniformity,” Pope Francis warned. Read more

Pope Francis speaks at his Wednesday audience in Paul VI Hall on Nov. 29, 2023.

Pope Francis says he is ‘still not well,’ has aide read general audience speech

Nov 29, 2023

By Courtney Mares

Pope Francis, who turns 87 in December, spoke softly into a microphone as he explained that he was “still not... Read more

Pope Francis addresses pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square for his Wednesday general audience on Nov. 15, 2023.

Pope Francis: The Gospel is universal

Nov 22, 2023

By Matthew Santucci

During his weekly general audience in St. Peter’s Square, Pope Francis highlighted the universal nature of the Church’s mission to... Read more

Pope Francis addresses pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square for his Wednesday general audience on Nov. 15, 2023.

Pope Francis: Complaining Christians do not give a credible witness to the Gospel

Nov 15, 2023

By Courtney Mares

“Humanity abounds with brothers and sisters waiting for a word of hope,” Pope Francis said in St. Peter’s Square on... Read more

Pope Francis waves to the crowds at his general audience on Nov. 8, 2023.

Pope Francis: Secularized world is ‘invitation to communicate the joy of the Gospel’

Nov 8, 2023

By Matthew Santucci

Pope Francis on Wednesday drew upon the example of Venerable Servant of God Madeleine Delbrêl as a testament to conversion... Read more

Pope Francis at the general audience at St. Peter's Square on Oct. 18, 2023.

Pope Francis stresses need to put Jesus at the center of our lives

Oct 18, 2023

By Matthew Santucci

At the end of his weekly general audience in St. Peter’s Square Oct. 18, the pope announced that Oct. 27... Read more

Josephine Bakhita.

Pope Francis highlights St. Josephine Bakhita’s example of forgiveness

Oct 11, 2023

By Matthew Santucci

The Sudanese-Italian saint’s life story is “an existential parable of forgiveness,” the pope said Wednesday. Read more